How long does a background check take?

Short answer: It depends on the services you selected. Each service has its own estimated time to completion, which is displayed as you select the services (see screenshot below).

Some services depend on external factors, for example, how long a reference check takes depends on whether the reference can be reached. Other services like criminal record checks vary in their turnaround times depending on the country the check is issued for. Below is a summary of the turnaround times per service.

If your check exceeds the estimated times below please visit our helpdesk homepage for notices about service disruptions/delays, and please check you email (including spam folder) for any notifications from Certn regarding possible issues with your check. If there are no notices about why your check might be taking longer, please reach out to support@certn.co.

Softcheck* - Instant

OneID - Instant

SOQUIJ* - Instant between 6am-10pm EST

Equifax Credit Report - Instant

Canadian Criminal Record Check (including enhanced check) - 15 minutes to 4 hours

International Criminal Record Check - Varies by country, upwards of 6 days

Employment Verification - Depends on reference

Reference Check - Depends on reference

Education Verification - Canada and US: 1-3 business days; International: varies by country

US Base Criminal - Instant

US Single County Criminal - Instant to 7 business days

US Unlimited County Criminal - Instant to 7 business days

*Only available in Canada